AU2016213914A1

AU2016213914A1 - Horse heart rate monitoring system

Info

Publication number: AU2016213914A1
Application number: AU2016213914A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Audrius Macernis
Original assignee: MACENRIS AUDRIUS
Current assignee: MACENRIS AUDRIUS
Priority date: 2015-08-13
Filing date: 2016-08-14
Publication date: 2017-03-09
Also published as: WO2017024362A1; WO2017024362A8

Abstract

A heart rate monitoring system for animals including horses is disclosed. The system comprises a sensor configured to be mounted over a leg of the horse, for sensing the heart rate. The system further comprises an alarm unit, positioned at a predefined distance from the horse, configured to receive a heart rate related information from the sensor and activate an alarm. The alarm unit is adapted to communicate the heart rate information to a mobile device at a remote location through a communication network. 0 0 0010 0 a 0

Description

2016213914 14 Aug 2016

Editorial Note 2016213914

There are six pages of description only 2016213914 14 Aug 2016

HORSE HEART RATE MONITORING SYSTEM

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to the AU Provisional Patent application no. AU2015903251 filed on August 13, 2015. The specification of the above referenced patent application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention generally relates to technical field heart rate monitoring system, and more specifically relates to the heart rate monitoring system for animals such as horses.

BACKGROUND

[0002] Routine monitoring of physiological parameters including heart rate, respiration rate and temperature, is required in animals for assessing fitness and/or training related parameters. With a heart monitor it is possible to note the heart rate at different intervals during exercise or training or during rest, which helps in assessing overall fitness level of the animal and also in adjusting training regimen based on fitness conditions.

[0003] Existing heart rate monitors designed for animals such as horses, include elaborate devices, incorporating significant amounts of wiring and usually mounted in proximity to the heart, for instance strapped around the chest area. Mounting and connecting up these devices over the animal body would be time-consuming, and a cumbersome task. The complex wiring, and in some cases the monitors themselves, might constitute a hazard if there were a fall, for example. Precise location of sensors is important to ensure accurate sensing of heart rate and small sensor configuration may facilitate easy mounting, which is also less interfering with the comfort of the horse. 2016213914 14 Aug 2016 [0004] In addition, traditional heart rate sensors require the presence of a training personnel or animal owner or a veterinarian in the vicinity of the animal for interpreting and monitoring the health parameters sensed by the sensor.

[0005] Hence, there is a long felt but unresolved need for a heart rate sensing and monitoring system which can communicate to an alarm unit and/or sending an alert to a mobile device at a remote location regarding the heart rate of the horse, through a communication network.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] The present invention relates to a heart rate monitoring system for animals including horses, the system comprising at least one sensor configured to be mounted over at least one leg of the horse, for sensing the heart rate. The system further comprises an alarm unit, positioned at a predefined distance from the horse, configured to receive a heart rate related information from the sensor and activate a visual and/or sound alarm. The alarm unit is adapted to communicate the heart rate information to a mobile device at a remote location through a communication network.

[0007] In an embodiment, the sensor is adapted to activate the alarm unit, which is positioned at a predefined distance, based on a variation in heart rate from a predefined range and/or send an alert to a mobile device at a remote location, when the heart rate of the horse increases or decreases beyond a predefined range chosen by a user. Further, the user can set a predefined range of heart rate and a threshold time limit, for receiving one or more alerts to the mobile device of the user via a communication network.

[0008] In an embodiment, the present invention relates to a physiological parameter monitoring device for animals. The physiological parameter monitoring device is configured to be worn around at least one leg of the animal and the device is adapted to sense one or more physiological 2016213914 14 Aug 2016 parameters of the animal and communicate the sensed heart rate related information to a remote device through a communication network. The monitoring devices are configured to monitor physiological parameters including respiration, temperature, pulse rate, blood pressure, and the like. The remote device may comprise an alarm unit, a mobile device, a smart phone, a computer, PDA, or any hand held device.

[0009] Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description. It should be understood, however, that the detailed description and the specific examples, while indicating specific embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] FIG. 1A and IB exemplarily illustrates a perspective view of the sensor mounted around legs of a horse.

[0011] FIG. 2 exemplarily illustrates a block diagram of an equine heart rate monitoring system, according to an embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] A description of embodiments of the present invention will now be given with reference to the Figures. It is expected that the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes 2016213914 14 Aug 2016 that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.

[0013] FIG. 1A and IB exemplarily illustrates a side perspective view of the sensor 110 mounted around legs of a horse. The sensor 110 is configured to be mounted over at least one leg of the horse for sensing the heart rate. The sensor 110 is adapted to wirelessly communicate the heart rate related information to an alarm unit at a predefined distance from the horse. In an embodiment, the sensor 110 is configured to be able to withstand impact, shock and exposure to water. The sensor 110 may be placed securely within a wearable or a mountable housing 112, wherein the housing 112 can be made of water resistant and shock resistant material.

[0014] Referring to FIG. 2, which illustrates a block diagram of the heart rate monitoring system shows a sensor 110 mountable over at least one leg of the horse for sensing the heart rate and communicate the heart rate related information to an alarm unit 120 positioned at a predefined distance from the horse. For example, the alarm unit 120 can be positioned inside a house or a building. The alarm unit 120 is adapted to activate a visual alarm 122 and/or a sound alarm 124, upon receiving the heart rate related information from the sensor 110. The visual alarm 122 may comprise, for example, one or more, light emitting diode (LED) lights adapted to be illuminated upon activation of the alarm unit 120. The sound alarm 124 may comprise, for example, a beep or a buzzer sound or an audio instruction.

[0015] In an embodiment, the alarm unit 120 is configured to receive heart rate related signals from the sensors 110 and send the heart rate related information or an alert regarding the heart rate of the horse to a mobile device 130 at a remote location via a communication network 140. The sensors 110 in communication with the mobile device 130 allows remote monitoring of the physiological parameters of the horse. For example, the mobile device 130 facilitates alerting a 2016213914 14 Aug 2016 user at a distant location, the user may include an animal owner, training personnel or a veterinarian. In an embodiment, the user can monitor the heart rate of the horse at a different location through a mobile application.

[0016] In another embodiment, the user can set a predefined range of parameters for heart rate using the mobile application, for receiving alerts. For example, a user can initially choose a predefined range of heart rate and a time limit, when the heart rate of the animal exceeds or decreases from the predefined range for a predetermined period of time, a signal will be sent from the sensor 110 to the alarm unit 120 for activating the visual or sound alarm and/or an alert will be sent to the mobile device 130 of the user at a remote location regarding the increase or decrease in sensed heart rate.

[0017] In another embodiment, the user can control the alarm unit 120 at a remote location, using the mobile device 130 via sending control signals to pause or terminate the alarm 122 or 124. Further, the user can calibrate the sensor 110 from a remote location using the mobile device 130, for example, the user can set a predefined threshold for variation in heart rate, such that when the sensed heart rate varies beyond the threshold, an alert is received in the mobile device 130.

[0018] The sensor 110 may be secured within a housing which may comprise a belt or a boot or a band-like configuration, wearable or mountable around the leg of the horse, for sensing the heart rate and communicating the heart rate related information to the alarm unit 120 and/or sending an alert to the mobile device 130 at a remote location, over a network 140. Alerts may comprise a voice call, text message, email, multimedia message, and the like configurable by the user based on user preferences. 2016213914 14 Aug 2016 [0019] In an embodiment, the sensor 110 may comprise sensing devices configured to monitor physiological parameters including respiration, temperature, pulse rate, blood pressure, and the like.

[0020] In an embodiment, the present invention relates to a heart rate monitoring device for animals. The heart rate monitoring device is configured to be worn around at least one leg of the animal and the device is adapted to sense heart rate of the animal and communicate the sensed heart rate related information to a remote device through a communication network. The remote device may comprise alarm unit, mobile device, handheld device, desktop computer system, laptop computer, notebook computer, PDA, smart phone, and the like.

[0021] The foregoing examples have been provided merely for the purpose of explanation and are in no way to be construed as limiting of the present concept disclosed herein. While the concept has been described with reference to various embodiments, it is understood that the words, which have been used herein, are words of description and illustration, rather than words of limitation. Further, although the concept has been described herein with reference to particular means, materials, and embodiments, the concept is not intended to be limited to the particulars disclosed herein; rather, the concept extends to all functionally equivalent structures, methods and uses, such as are within the scope of the appended claims. Those skilled in the art, having the benefit of the teachings of this specification, may affect numerous modifications thereto and changes may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the concept in its aspects.

Claims

CLAIMS What is claimed is:

1. A heart rate monitoring system for horse, the system comprising: at least one sensor configured to be mounted over at least one leg of the horse, for sensing the heart rate; and an alarm unit, positioned at a predefined distance from the horse, configured to receive a heart rate related information from the sensor, wherein the alarm unit is adapted to activate an alarm, wherein the alarm unit is adapted to communicate the heart rate information to a mobile device at a remote location through a communication network.
2. The heart rate monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is adapted to wirelessly communicate the heart rate related information to the alarm unit at a predefined distance from the horse.
3. The heart rate monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is configured to set a predefined range of heart rate for receiving one or more alerts to the mobile device via the communication network.
4. The heart rate monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is configured to set a threshold time limit for receiving one or more alerts to the mobile device of the user via a communication network.
5. The heart rate monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the alarm unit is adapted to activate the alarm based on a variation in the predefined range of heart rate.
6. The heart rate monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the alarm unit is adapted to activate the alarm based on increase or decrease in the heart rate beyond the predefined range of heart rate.
7. The heart rate monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the alarm unit is adapted to activate the alarm based on a variation in the threshold time limit.
8. The heart rate monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the alarm unit is adapted to activate the alarm based on increase or decrease in the heart rate beyond the threshold time limit.
9. The heart rate monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the alarm unit is adapted to activate a visual alarm, a sound alarm or a combination thereof.
10. A monitoring device for an animal, comprising: a physiological parameter monitoring device, wherein the said device is configured to worn around at least one leg of the animal, and wherein the device is adapted to sense one or more physiological parameters of the animal and communicate the sensed physiological parameter related information to a remote device through a communication network.
11. The monitoring device of claim 10, wherein the physiological parameters include respiration, temperature, pulse rate, blood pressure, or any combination thereof.
12. The monitoring device of claim 10, wherein the remote device comprises an alarming device, a mobile device, a smart phone, a computer, PDA, or a hand held device.